Consequences
At the end of the second year of life, long-term consequences of testicular malposition manifest themselves. This is a decrease in the number of spermatogonia and a thickening of the connective tissue in the testicles. If both testicles are affected by a malposition, the risk of later infertility is 73 to 100%.
This is the reason for the earliest possible therapy before the end of the second year of life. On the other hand, the risk of developing testicular cancer is 5 times higher than for normally developed testicles. Approximately 10% of all testicular tumors develop in a malformed testicle. Decisive factors for degeneration are the abnormal hormonal situation, the cell death in the testis (testicular atrophy) and the congenital maldevelopment of the testis (dysgenesis). Men with an abdominal testicle have a 4-fold increased risk of degeneration.
Summary
The undescended testicle is a relatively common clinical picture in male infants which can manifest itself in different forms. The pendulum testis is often not in need of therapy, while the other forms of undescended testicles should be treated urgently and early. In infancy, undescended testicles are an easily recognizable and easily treated clinical picture.
However, due to the sometimes fatal consequences of undescended testicles in adulthood, early and successful therapy is essential. If the therapy is carried out correctly and in time, the children will not have any consequences or problems afterwards. Nowadays even the operation of undescended testicles is a standardized procedure, which is usually performed without any problems and is not even visually recognizable.